Day 62: Back to Low Fluid

If there is one thing I have learned in here it is that you eat before any procedures are done. If someone interrupts you, or tries to, you tell them “NO.” and ask that they come back when you are finished. I broke my own rule this morning. The ultrasound tech showed up at my door after I had just started eating. She asked if I was done and I told her no. She asked if I could finish later and thinking Kayvan could make the ultrasound if he got out of the shower and I went now, I told her I could. Well, Kayvan had to be at work for a conference call and couldn’t push it a few minutes today. So I went for my ultrasound solo, on an empty stomach. I did have some apple juice as soon as I woke up so I figured that and the few bites I took would help baby wiggle it, just a little bit.

They always look at the boring stuff first…my placenta and its many flaws and the ruptured membrane. After that we move to the more interesting stuff. The fluid levels, baby and the ever tiny stomach, kidneys, heart, ecogenic bowel and his breathing. My placenta looked better today. At first, the tech said the issues were gone. I think she found something worth changing her mind but the placenta is looking better regardless, good news. Baby also didn’t feel like showing us that he is practicing breathing in there. We waited 27 minutes until he got hiccups. Then to the fluid, not so good. Last week we were at the amazing level of 6.19. Now we are back to dangerously low levels of 1.42 cubic centimeters. I have the feeling that some of what they measured last time was blood from the placenta. Of course, that is gone as of this morning so it makes sense that the levels are lower. I just didn’t expect THAT much lower. Slightly frightening and frustrating. As long as baby can tolerate these fluid levels I can stay pregnant. That is what the non stress test is for and I got put on it immediately after I got back to my room…with no more food. He did his 15 and 15s on the non stress test today which is good. I did have two mild contractions which I didn’t feel and he had desats along with them. After the desats he was incredibly reactive so doc was happy and we eventually passed.

It’s funny, I have a Labor and Delivery nurse today. I had her when Iwas down in Labor and Delivery but today she got floated to my unit. She is a bit out of her element here, understandably…she deals with babies that are ready to come out, not babies that still need to stay in. She looked at my non stress test strip with her back to me for a long time before I just asked “You’re worried?” She told me no but that she was just trying to figure out how to present it to my doctor. You see, my doctor is quite careful and conservative when situations aren’t so great. I swear she was a very different person when we were in Labor and Delivery. Up here she is much less conservative. As she should be. This is the “wait and see floor” that is the “gotta act now” floor. I told my nurse not to worry and that I had a strip like this the other day and my doctor was not at all concerned. I also told her that the last time I had 2 contractions of a mild scale like that my doctor’s words were that she was “not impressed.” I think that helped my nurse just a bit. Or I hope it did. I didn’t mislead her, as you can see since I’m still here writing this blog rather than having an IV shoved in my arm and being prepped for surgery.

On to the fun stuff! The dinosaur papoose and matching hat I promised you yesterday. It is a custom order, but isn’t it ADORABLE?! I kind of don’t want to sell it. The photo clicks through to the Etsy store if you want to see all of the photos. Don’t forget, you have 2 days left to enter your guess to win a free custom made hat!

Dinosaur Cocoon and Hat Set

That’s all I have today. Have a good one folks. I’ll be sitting here chugging as much water as I possibly can. Maybe tomorrow I will tell you about the new food service menu they brought me. Slightly impressive I do have to admit.

So happy you got it and love it! I ran out of the green yarn I used on your hat and hubby said there wasn’t any more at the craft store. Just a warning in case you do end up wanting the papoose…however, I’ll have him keep an eye out for your green at the store.